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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28333650">Can you hold me?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/vagusnerve/pseuds/vagusnerve'>vagusnerve</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stargirl (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>And There Were TWO Beds, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Trust me on this one, Yes you read that right, simp!rick</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:35:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,148</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28333650</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/vagusnerve/pseuds/vagusnerve</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Rick and Beth share a hotel room on a JSA trip</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Beth Chapel/Rick Tyler</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Can you hold me?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>italics means it's a dream</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Pat had first suggested a field trip to St. Louis, as some kind of celebration for defeating the ISA, Rick thought it sounded like a great idea. He could get away from Matt, spend some time with the JSA, see the sights, and maybe even finally get up the courage to ask Beth out on a date. </p><p>The first day passed in a whirl. They visited the Botanical Garden (Beth had asked him to take pictures of her in front of the roses and Rick thought she looked like an angel), the St. Louis Arch (“The Gateway Arch, Rick,” Beth had gently corrected him), and the St. Louis Zoo (When Beth had grabbed his arm and dragged him to see the dolphins and his heart nearly stopped), and now it was late and they were checking into a hotel for the night. </p><p>“Ok kids,” Pat announced. “I could only get three rooms, all doubles. I’m assuming Courtney and Yolanda, you two want to room together?”</p><p>Courtney nodded. </p><p>“Alright. Beth, you might have to be by yourself—”</p><p>“Oh no, that’s fine Mr. Dugan,” Beth cut in. “You’re probably exhausted and want to talk to your wife and son. Me and Rick can share a room.”</p><p>Rick’s brain short-circuited and didn’t process the rest of the back-and-forth between Beth and Pat. <i>Did Beth just say she was fine sharing a room with me?</i></p><p>“Rick,” Beth called, pulling him from his thoughts. She held up a room key. “C’mon, we’re on the seventeenth floor.”</p><p>Rick picked up his suitcase and followed after her, still slightly in a daze. <i>Maybe</i>, he thought to himself, <i>this could be my chance to ask her out, while the two of us are alone.</i> </p><p>“If you’re not comfortable sharing a room with me, I can ask Pat to switch—” began Beth. </p><p>“Nope!” Rick replied immediately, before realizing that sounded way too eager. “I mean, uh, nope, it’s fine, I’m fine with it if you’re fine with it.”</p><p>Beth grinned. “Good.”</p><p>When they entered the room, Beth dropped her bag on the bed closest to the door and then ran to the window. “Rick come look at this! You can see the Gateway Arch.”</p><p>Rick put his suitcase on the second bed and then joined her. </p><p>“Isn’t the view just gorgeous?” Beth asked. </p><p>Rick looked at her side-profile, illuminated by the city lights and graced by a smile that outshone them all. “Yeah, it really is,” he agreed softly. </p><p>There was a knock at the door, and Rick had barely opened the door when Courtney and Yolanda burst into the room. </p><p>“We’re playing Cards Against Humanity,” Courtney announced, and the four of them sat on the ground between the beds and did just that. </p><p>Courtney had to force Yolanda to leave eventually, after a brief argument over whether or not Yolanda was truly tired. Rick was tempted to agree with Courtney that she was, considering by the end of the game she was using Courtney’s leg as a pillow. </p><p>Once the two of them were out of the room (with Courtney half-carrying Yolanda), Rick turned to Beth, unsure of what to do next. </p><p>“Uh, are you tired?” he asked. </p><p>Beth shook her head. “Not really, in fact I—” her sentence was cut off by a massive yawn. “Okay maybe.”</p><p>“Do you want to go to bed?”</p><p>“Yeah, I do.”</p><p>Rick stood, and then offered Beth his hand to help her up. She stumbled into his arms getting up, and Rick was suddenly uncomfortably aware of how close her face was to his. </p><p>“Uh, so, um,” he stammered, placing her back on her feet and stumbling backwards into his bed. “I can leave so you can get ready for bed or whatever.”</p><p>Something flickered across Beth’s face that Rick couldn’t quite identify. “Okay,” she agreed. </p><p>“Great.” He grabbed his pyjamas and practically ran to the bathroom, slamming the door closed and resting against it for a second. <i>Nice going</i>, he thought. <i>Now she thinks you don’t like her.</i></p><p>He quickly changed into his pyjamas, and then paced back and forth, unsure of what was an appropriate amount of time to give Beth. </p><p>Eventually he knocked on the door. “Hey Beth?” he called. “Can I come out?”</p><p>“Yup!” Beth replied. </p><p>Rick stepped through into the room and found Beth already under the covers. He turned off the light before getting into his own bed. </p><p>“Good night, Rick,” Beth said. </p><p>“Night Beth,” he replied, before turning over and falling to sleep. </p><p>
  <i>Rick was standing in front of his house. His parents were getting in their car and driving away, seemingly unaware of him.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>As he looked on in horror, Solomon Grundy emerged from the trees. He grinned at Rick, and Rick realized that his face had been replaced with Matt’s, who drew back a fist, just to watch Rick flinch, before running after the car.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Rick opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out. He tried to squeeze his eyes shut, to reach the Hourman hourglass around his neck, to run after his parents, but he was frozen in place, forced to watch as Grundy jumped in front of the car, causing it to swerve into a tree.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Grundy cackled and reached into the car and pulled out someone. Not his mom or his dad but--</i>
</p><p><i>Rick’s heart dropped.</i> Beth. <i>With renewed strength he flipped the hourglass and charged.</i></p><p>
  <i>Grundy laughed, and swung, sending Rick flying and falling through the air into--</i>
</p><p>Rick sat bolt upright. His breath came out in quick, shallow gasps as his eyes darted around his surroundings. He wasn’t at his house with Grundy. He was in a hotel room in St. Louis. His face felt wet, and he touched his cheeks and realized they were soaked with tears. </p><p>“Rick?” Beth mumbled. “Are you alright?”</p><p>Rick hastily wiped his arm across his eyes. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he choked out.</p><p>He heard the bed creak as Beth got out of it. “Are you sure?”</p><p>Rick turned away and nodded, not trusting his voice. </p><p>When he felt a touch on his arm he flinched away automatically, before realizing it was just Beth’s gentle hand and not that of Solomon Grundy. </p><p>Beth drew back. “Well if you’re sure…”</p><p>“Wait,” Rick whispered. “Wait, I—can you…” he cleared his throat. “Can you hold me? Please?”</p><p>Beth didn’t respond immediately, and Rick glanced over at her, expecting to see disgust, or horror at how weak he was, but instead her face showed nothing but compassion. </p><p>“Of course,” she said. She motioned for him to move over in the bed, and then wrapped her arms around his waist. “Is this okay?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Rick said, his heart rate finally slowing down. “Yeah, that’s good. Thanks.”</p><p>“Anytime. Sweet dreams, Rick.”</p><p>“Sweet dreams, Beth.” And as he drifted off to sleep for the second time, in Beth’s arms, her wish came true.</p>
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